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Balochistan independent senator-elect Sadiq Sanjrani has emerged as a top contender for the post of Senate chairman, with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), PPP, MQM-P and Balochistan senators reportedly reaching consensus on his nomination for the March 12 election, DawnNewsTV reported.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto on Sunday announced support for Sadiq Sanjrani and further said that the party would field Saleem Mandviwalla for the deputy chairman seat.

The PTI had earlier on Friday announced that it would vote for neither the PPP nor the PML-N's nominees during the election for Senate chairman. A day later, however, the PTI announced that it would vote for the panel announced by Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo in connection with the election for the Senate's top posts.

On Sunday, the party announced its support for Sanjrani, already backed by CM Bizenjo, as its pick for the post. The PTI will also be backing the PPP's nominee for deputy chairman Senate, who will be a part of Bizenjo's panel, as per an agreement with the Balochistan CM.

Sanjrani, an independent senator from Balochistan, is considered close to the PPP leadership and is backed by the ruling party in Sindh ─ in exchange for his support to the PPP's proposed deputy chairman, Saleem Mandviwalla ─ and by four out of five MQM-P senators, who have also extended their support to the PPP's nominee for deputy chairman, according to well-placed sources.

PTI's inclination towards PPP's candidate emerged after a meeting between Balochistan CM Bizenjo and PTI Chairman Imran Khan at the latter's Bani Gala residence on Sunday. Bizenjo was accompanied by a delegation of independent senators-elect from the province.

During the meeting, Khan announced his support for any candidate the PPP puts up for the post of deputy chairman as per an agreement with Bizenjo.

"As per our promise to the Balochistan CM, we will support the PPP's candidate for deputy chairman of the Senate," Khan assured a delegation of the senators-elect from Balochistan.

Imran Khan told the media in a visit to Faisalabad on Sunday that during the meeting with Bizenjo, he had been asked to support the Balochistan CM's panel, which included a deputy chairman nominated by the PPP. Both sides had already agreed on supporting senator-elect Sanjrani for the post of chairman of the Upper House.

The PTI chief added that he had agreed to support Bizenjo's panel as "mitigating a sense of deprivation among the citizens of Balochistan is essential".

"Extraordinary steps are needed to remove the sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan," he said. "Countering the corrupt and selfish Sharif family is mandatory to safeguard the reputation of the parliament and democracy," he claimed, explaining his reasons behind the decision.

According to the sources, the PML-N has been having a tough time rallying support for its picks for the posts of chairman and deputy chairman Senate.

The PML-N's leadership had asked Hasil Bizenjo of the National Party to take the lead for them in the race for Senate chairman and garner support from other senators in the province, but the independents gave him the cold shoulder, the sources told DawnNewsTV.

Hasil Bizenjo was subsequently advised by the newly elected Balochistan chief minister to stay away from the tussle brewing between the independents and the ruling party, the sources said.

Senate agenda for Monday

The Senate is scheduled to meet on Monday to elect its chairman and deputy chairman.

According to the agenda issued by Senate Secretariat for Monday, the session will start at 10am. The newly elected senators will take oath after which the session will be adjourned.

After the adjournment of the session, nomination papers for the chairman and deputy chairman will be submitted.

The session will resume at 4pm to elect the chairman and deputy chairman of the Upper House.

Names of the candidates will be announced during the meeting and later a secret ballot will be held.

The names of winning candidates will be announced after which they will also take the oath.

On DawnNews

Comments (41) Closed

Seems reasonable. A PML-N led senate would have been a disaster for the so-called democracy in Pakistan, where Nawaz Sharif would have used it to take revenge from the nation.

PTI opted for PPP's candidate as deputy chairman, although it could have had its own deputy chairman had PTI accepted Zardari's offer. A good move by Imran Khan at the end.

This time its not 'Aik Zardari sub per bhari'.

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Mar 11, 2018 04:28pm

Good move, there should be someone, who is independent and away from both PML-N and PPP parties, as both these parties have done nothing for poor people. And made money and properties through corrupt practices and money laundering - public is fed up and want change!

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Kahn

Mar 11, 2018 04:29pm

okay, now PTI will vote PPP candidate. Another u-turn ! but all are quiet because people have lost interest in all this none sense.

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israr khan

Mar 11, 2018 04:51pm

yes please ... one side ppp pti independents infact ALL OF PAKISTAN and other side is pmln :)
Balochistan Unites us thank you Balochistan

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Tariq Amir

Mar 11, 2018 04:53pm

So finally IK is dancing to the tunes of Zardari. Just to deprive PMLN of the chairmanship of senate. This is the real dirty politics of IK, full of personal vendetta.

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Dr. Doctor

Mar 11, 2018 04:55pm

AZ and IK are similar in so many ways and It finally shows.

Good work.

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Saad Khan

Mar 11, 2018 04:58pm

PTI playing the dirty game....

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Nasiroski

Mar 11, 2018 05:19pm

Imran Khan decides to sit with Asif Zardari, thats a good beginning wish them a good bonding,

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Mak

Mar 11, 2018 05:27pm

Already Fedup with everyone and everything is happening related to election. All the same at the end of the day.

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Ayub

Mar 11, 2018 05:37pm

Good step by IK. The chairman should be from smaller province irrespective of his political affiliation. It would have been much better if the post of Deputy Chairman had gone to KPK.

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Fazza

Mar 11, 2018 05:38pm

@Fayzee IK is the true example of a selfless man, one who thinkfirst for the interest of the people and nation.

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asuf

Mar 11, 2018 05:55pm

Why not, very good move.

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Azhar Ashfaq

Mar 11, 2018 05:56pm

IK is left with no option except to join hands with Zardari after a series of defeats in elections against NS. Finally the birds of same feathers flock together.

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Citizen of karAchi

Mar 11, 2018 06:02pm

MQM shall once again be disappointing it’s electorate if it votes on the same side as ppp given the recent stab in the back during senate elections and given the utter desrtruction they have brought to Karachi.

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Zafar Iqbal

Mar 11, 2018 06:22pm

@Tariq Amir He is dancing to some other tunes

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Dr.khan

Mar 11, 2018 06:26pm

it is not the first time that the political parties have stuck to their tradition of performing a volte-face at the last moment. who cares for the wishes of the electorate?

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Syed Imtiaz Ali

Mar 11, 2018 06:27pm

@Tariq Amir How is it dirty? Explain

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Shahbaz khan

Mar 11, 2018 06:39pm

Well played by Imran khan in the game of throne.

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S.Ahmad

Mar 11, 2018 06:43pm

Eventually it all boiled to downright horse trading!

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AHMED RAZA

Mar 11, 2018 07:00pm

A master stroke played by Imran Khan. Both Nawaz and Zardari spent billions on Senate elections. But IK made alliance with Baloch senators and now both the major parties are unable to announce their candidates for chairperson of Senate. It seems that Mr. Khan has learned political gaming

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Mar 11, 2018 07:05pm

Welcome to the club. It seems being independent is the best bet right now in the corridors of Senate and senators in Islamabad.

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Amer

Mar 11, 2018 07:15pm

Height of hypocrisy....

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qambar ali

Mar 11, 2018 07:38pm

good

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Umair

Mar 11, 2018 07:46pm

This is one of the master strokes of IK, so far. he handled the matter unlikely of the expectations. He forced the PPP to get them into negotiations with Balochistan Candidates with the other side heavier.

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Aamir

Mar 11, 2018 08:53pm

Please, no. Who is this guy who we've never heard of?

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Aman

Mar 11, 2018 08:59pm

yes senate chairman must be from Baluchistan and deputy chairman senate must be from FATA. I totally agree with IK that these regions need a voice in nation building, if nation is being built in the first place!

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shahid

Mar 11, 2018 09:10pm

Good maneuvering by IK! He cornered both PPP and PMLN although they have more seats than PTI..

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Abdul Rahman Jan

Mar 11, 2018 10:20pm

Interesting developments. Let's see.

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ayaz

Mar 11, 2018 10:31pm

A great move by Imran khan...Imran khan is the real winner in all this situation.
Although zardari offered him deputy chairman if they support ppp for chairman but imran rejected the offer and made a good move..

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Javaid

Mar 12, 2018 12:28am

@Kahn PTI said they will vote of CM Balochistan Panel and PPP deputy chairman is part of Balochistan panel. PMLN has been blocked to take any position and that’s a victory of PTI.

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Javaid

Mar 12, 2018 12:29am

@Tariq Amir This is called real politics to support a smaller province. PTI first move defeated both PPP and PMLN.

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Javaid

Mar 12, 2018 12:32am

@Azhar Ashfaq It was other way round . It was AZ who had no choice but to support PTI supported panel from a smaller province

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Nawaz

Mar 12, 2018 12:57am

@Tariq Amir Illogical argument. Every one knows why IK is supporting PPP's nominated deputy chairman. It's part of a deal only to have chairman elected from Balochistan.

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Failure

Mar 12, 2018 03:40am

In general elections PTI will merge into PPP to defeat PML-N

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Humanitarian APPROACH

Mar 12, 2018 06:54am

AAZ stragedy failed. Again RR.

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khalid

Mar 12, 2018 07:07am

Good move by Bilawal and Imran. Good choice.

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khalid

Mar 12, 2018 07:11am

Mr Kahn your view is incorrect.

Bilawal and Imran has made a good decision for democracy's survival. PMLN would have played dirty games if its nominees were to win.

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Khan USA

Mar 12, 2018 07:28am

Chairman needs to be well educated , seasoned and qualified politician!

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charlie

Mar 12, 2018 08:36am

All those decrying IK should look at the history of Balochistan. Senate was created with equal representation from all units of the Federation, and Balochistan has as much right to have its Chairman as any other province. This move is not about PTI or PPP or anyone else, but it is about making the Federation strong. We have a chance to correct history, and we should avail it.

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Javed

Mar 12, 2018 09:58am

Good development.

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Bakht

Mar 12, 2018 10:38am

For those criticizing PTI, what other sane option did they have? The only other two options they had were to either accept a PPP or PMLN charirman, or totally stay out of the game. Both were worse.